Experts: Gaza groundwater might become unusable by 2016

It is expected that groundwater, the only source for drinking in the Gaza Strip, will become unusable by the year 2016, if water desalination projects keep slowing down, a senior official in the Palestinian Waters Corporation (PWC) said in an interview with Xinhua. Marwan Bardaweel, PWC program coordinator, said at his office in Gaza city that there are many obstacles that slowed down the implementation of water desalination projects in the coastal enclave, adding "these projects are the only main solution to avoid a future water crisis." "Among the obstacles are the lack of funds from the donors, the growing energy crisis and the closure of crossing points," said Bardaweel. He added "Israel bans construction materials and the needed equipment for water desalination stations, beside the internal division that obstruct coordination between Gaza and West Bank." A recent United Nations field report unveiled that the Gaza Strip, with a population of 1.8 million Palestinians, "is facing a severe water problem, a dangerous matter that would make the enclave not valid to live in by 2020." It said that by 2016, Gaza water will be unusable and by 2020 it will be hard to fix it. The Gaza-based Palestinian Human Rights Center (PHRC) said in its annual report issued on Saturday that around 95 percent of Gaza Strip water are not meeting the international standards of the World Health Program, adding that the water share for the Gaza individual is 89.5 litters, lower than the world's minimum. He noted that the water crisis will deteriorate amid a densely growth of the populations, adding "by 2020, Gaza Strip populations will climb to 2,160,000, and they will need 120 million cubic meters of water every year." "But if such a reality remains, we can't guarantee one drop of water for the populations by 2020," said Bardaweel, referring that the PWC did many studies and surveys to find alternative solutions to the crisis, "mainly treating and desalinating the seawater." He said that the plans his office has are to be executed in two phases: the first step is to build up three small seawater desalination stations in central and southern Gaza Strip to improve water and save the remaining underground water that also needs to be treated. "Part of the first phase has been already implemented and the entire parts of this phase will last for two years," said Bardaweel, adding "the second phase is to establish a central desalination station for the entire Gaza Strip." He clarified that executing the two phases of the projects would at least save the Gaza Strip and reduce the dangerous crisis, adding "these projects will be funded by the European Union, and there are European companies who are making the plans and the designs are expected to be ready within 18 months." The Palestinian official expressed hope to finish the implementation of the two phases by 2017, and then "we will be able to face the coming danger." He warned that any slowing down in executing these projects, " the aquifer will suffer from a severe problem and the Gaza Strip is expected within the coming years to face a real humanitarian crisis."